“I have suffered for years with tenants regarding the nonpayment of rent. I had a tenant once who left the building without paying rent for six months. I tried contacting him and all he said was “come and get me if you can”. I found out later that he had left Jeddah. If this system is fully implemented, then we landlords have nothing to worry about,” he said. Sadaqa believes the system should blacklist tenants who fail to pay rent. “The real estate sector lacks proper laws to ensure both the rights of tenants and landlords. We see tenants suffering from unchecked rent increases and landlords from not getting paid on time. How long are we going to wait for the government to introduce proper landlord-tenant laws?” he asked. Salem Al-Salem, a landlord and real estate investor, said pursuing cases of nonpayment of rent is time-consuming and costly. He applauded the new law and said he hopes it is implemented without any delay. “I have hired a lawyer to deal with such cases but such lawsuits take a lot of time and money to get resolved. For years we have been calling for a unified system and for a clear law to ensure our rights. I hope it doesn't just become a piece of paper that sits in some government official's drawer and that it is actually implemented and enforced in a timely manner,” he said, while adding that newlyweds and people with low incomes will gain from the new law. “I've seen many young tenants who struggle to find a cheap decent apartment. I believe this new law will help those who are unable to pay a year's rent in advance.” To sign up for the system, property owners have to submit proof of ownership. Afterwards, they will be able to view the rent history of any potential tenant. Similarly, they can enter information into the system of tenants who have been paying rent on time and those who have not. Property owners who opt not to register with the new system will risk leasing their property to tenants who have defaulted on rent in the past. __
